Veneer lathe



Dec. 28 1926.

Y T. w. DIKE VENEER LATHE Filed Feb. 27.. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 T A 4: I NVEN- nv E7 MM@ Wwf/- Patented Dee. 28, 1926.

i l,6ll,896

PATE N Fi THEODORE W. BIKE, OF NEW VIESTMENSTER. BRITISH COLUMBA, CANADA. AS SIGNOR TOTHE LAMIINATED MATERALS GOIJEPAFY `l'illlEl'El'). OF NEW VESTMTN STER, CANADA, A CORPORATION; OF BRITSH CL'UIVIBA, CrZhlL/lllk.

VENEER LATHE.

Application iled February VThe present invention relates to rotary lathes for use in cutting veneer from logs. The particularobject of the invention is to provide mechanism in such a lathe Which will permit kthe lathe to be adjusted instan taneously to cut different thicknesses of veneer, according to the log which is being operated upon and the requirements for veneer to be produced.

In veneer lathes as heretofore constructed, the work of adjusting the lathe for different thicknesses of veneer has ordinarily required from ten to twenty minutes with subsequent loss of time to correct mal-adjustment, and the accuracy of the adjustment is dependent on the skill of the operator. The result of this construction has been that it has been customary in veneer mills to run for as long as possible on one thickness of ven-eer regardless of the character of the logs, since owing to the length of time taken to adjust the. lathe, it is practically out of the question to change during` the cutting of a log or even between logs, and it has been necessary to cut the log into whatever thickness of veneer the lathe isset for instead of setting the lathe to cut the log into the thickness which will be most advantageous. Furthermore, different parts of the log can frequently be used economically in different thicknesses of veneer. a

My invention provides a lathe which can be changed in a few seconds from any thickness to any other. Therefore, after barking the log the operator can set the lathe for whatever thickness the exposed portion of the log is'best adapted; can continue to cut the log. at that thickness until the conditions change, and then instantly reset the lathe. This gives the latheman the opportunity to use all the timber which comes to him for the particular purpose for which the log or portion of the log isl best adapted to be used. A large economy in timberresults. My eX- perience shows that this saving is in the neighborhood of fifteen percent although it varies; ,greatly xvi thev particular eunditiene,

27, i925. serial No. 12ml.

Furthermore, since a clear stock is required for face plies, and since the value of the product depends largely on the proportion of panels produced which are faced with clear stock, it is possible by the use of my improved lathe to increase they value of the product of the mill by increasing the superficial area of clear stock produced. Since the' face plies can be made very thin, any log or part of a leg from which clear stock can be produced can be used to face a much larger number of panels than theretofore.

To accomplish these results, I `have provided mechanism by which the speed of the feed of the knife carriage toward the centre ofthe log may be changed instantly to any other speed, and have included in the possible speeds a rapid one for use in slabbing or barking the log. Furthermore, since the position of the pressure bar relative to the knife edge must be adjusted to each thickness of veneer, I have provided means for accomplishing this adjustment comparatively instantaneously and have connected to it indicating mechanism which will show the operator at a glance the position of the pressure bar relative to the knife. In practice, the indicator is calibrated to give the proper adjustment for each of the several thicknesses of veneer which the lathe will cut. By these arrangements it is possible for the operator or operators to have the several working instrumentalities of the lathe all in proper working. relation to each other, even though frequent changes in thickness of veneer to be cut are made. lt is also possible to increase or diminish the pressure on the pressure bar according` to the character of the log being cut without stopping the lathe.

The invention will be fullyunderstood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof are pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at. the Cluse of this specification.

tu the drawings CJi 'the knife carriage rests.

plan view partly in section of a lathe cmbodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation as viewed from the right.

Fig. 3 is a. front elevation of the knife and pressure bar and associated parts.

Fig. Li is a section taken on line 4wd of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the gear box H.

in the drawings, at 10 is shown the lathe spindle, and at 1l the chucks which hold the log. The log is shown at L and the veneer which is being produced is shown at l in F 2. rlhe lathe is driven by any suitable power as for instance an elect-ric motor 12. In the drawings I have shown the motor as operating a pinion 13 which Vengages a large gear 1ston the outer end of the lathe spindle. it will beL understood that there are companion gears on the other end of the latter, but as they form no part of the present invention they have been omitted to simplify the drawings. The frame of the machine has ways 1o'. on which This knife carriage consists primarily of end members 157 generally called Way-blocks on which act the screws 17 which feed the carriage. The knife bar is designated D, the knife E, the pressure bar VF, and the pressure bar support G. The log side of the lathe is or dinarily referred. to as the front and the veneer side as the back side of the lathe.

' The back ends of the screws 17, 17 rest in bearings 18 in the frame It of the machine and carry bevel gears 19, 19. At the back of the lathe and at each end are vert-ical shafts 2O carrying bevel gears 21 which mesh ,with the bevel gears 19 on the back ends of the feed screws. rEhe shafts 20, 2() are themselves rotated by the bevel gears 22 and 2? which are themselves driven by a horizontal shaft 241. it will therefore be seen that the rate of speed and consequently the thickness of the veneer cut is dependent upon the speed with which the shaft 2i rotates relatively to the speed of rot-ation of the log.

iieeordingly to permit the lathe to cut different thicknesses of veneer and to make possible a rapid `change from one thickness to another. i provide, a selective change speed gear in the train which operates the screw drive.

Starting now with the log spindle, the drive for the feed screws will be traced. On the log spindle 10 is a spur gear 25 meshing with an idle gear 26 on a shaft 27. This shaft 27 carries asprocket 28 which actuates a chain 29 running over a sprocket 30. `This chain 29 drives the driving shaft 251 of a gear box H.

The gear box H is provided with two intermediate shafts 32 and 38 andV a driven shaft 34. On the intermediate shaft "2' there are a series of four gears 5, 6, 7 and S of dill'erent diameters. On the shaft 32 is a sliding pinion 89 permanently in mesh with a tumbler pinion 9 mounted on a fork di having a handle which projects through the side of the gear box (see Figs. 4L and 5). By lifting .up this handle, the tumbler pinion 9 may be disengaged from whichver of the pinions 5, (5, 7 or 8 on the intermeiiate shaft 33 it is engaged with, and after sliding the fork eil with the pinion 239 and tumbler pinion 9 along the shaft 32, the tumbler pinion 9 may then be reengaged with any other of the gears 5, (i, 7 and 8. Gn the driven shaft 3st is another series of pinions of dilierent diameters. in the drawings I'have shown ten, all of which are designated ill. (in the second intermediate shaft 33 is a pinion #i permanently in mesh with a tumbler pinion i5 carried by a fork -i which has a handle projecting through the side of the gear box in the manner already described in connection with the sliding gear 259 on the other intermediate shaft 32. 'il he fork Li6 may be slid along the shaft 133 and thus the tumbler gear e5 may be engaged with any ofthe series of gears i3. it will therefore be seen that there are forty possible combinations Which can be made by means of this gear box so that the knife carriage can be driven at forty different rates of speed relative to the rotation of the log, thas cutting forty different thicknesses of veneer, and that the lathe may be changed from any one thickness to a other thickness by shifting the pos1- tions of the two handles of the gear box. in practice. i provide one speedmore rapid than any of the others especially intended for barking and slabbing, this being an importanttime-saving arrangei'nent, as it en- 'ino ables the operator to bark or slab the log n at a uniform and eti'icient speed. rlhe driving shaft 3st acts through gears 50 te drive a gear 51 which meshes with a gear 52 on the shaft CinA the shaft- 2i is located a clutch 102. whereby the feed screws may be released from the gear train when it is desired to change the rate of feed.

The mcchanisngi by which the pressure bar F is adjusted relatively to the knife E so that the proper pressure will be supplied for the several thicknesses of veneer, will now be describesl. v

The way blocks 15 of the knife carriage are each provided with a large circular bearing' 53 in which are mounted trunnions 54.- formcd on the knife bar D, the knife E being adjustable thereon by adjusting screws 56. The Way blocks 15 are extended toward the rear and are provided with lugs Z) to receive two members 57 which are known as sole plates and which are slidable on antifriction shims s between the lugs on th-e way blocks toward the centre of the log. To hold the sole plates in 4place and permit slidable 'lll Eifel 1 ,ses

movement thereof .whenever the thickness of Vveneer is changed, each `sole plate is ,yield-- inglfy mounted (nm-lie waey block. As shown in Figs. Land 2,;eachs0-le plate 57 is provided with an elongatt-id .slot c through whichipa-sses a bolt d rigidly connected 4to the way block. The sole plate .is held `in place by a springe which bears at one end against anut secured .to the boltY and at the other-end againstthe topsuraceyof Athe sole plate. It will therefore be seen thatthe-sole plates, may be moved :laterally of the machine, without thenecessity of first unloosening` any nuts and at the same time theyare heldV yieldingly in place on 4the way blocks so that tlieyvcannot be-displaced by sudden upwardstresses which may-occur when cut.- ting` veneer for instance when the lknife encounters a knot in the log. The front ends'ioly the sole .plate 57 are provided with bearings to receive thek trunnions 58 formed on the ends ofthe pressure bar .support G. The pressurebar support can therefore he swung on the trunnions 58 toy move the pressure bar F out of operativefposition when it isinecessary to bark or slab-.the log, or to free chips in operation. It will' also be seen that the two sole plates, vthe pressure bar-support and the :pressure bar itself' form a. unit which is slidable `toward or away from the log'.

Across the back ofthe lathe is located a wedge bar -providedl with wedges 60 and 6l which co-operate with complementary wedge faces on the rear ends yol? the sole plates 5r. The backvfaces ofthe 'wedges on `the wedge portion 59 are-straight and bea-r against straight Aliaces of correcting wedges 62 which themselves.coeoperatenwith complementary wedge `faces on abutments ('which are parts of the rear. end` of the way yblocks 15. It will thereforeV leeL seen that ii thewedgebar 59 is moved -lengtl'iwir-:e and towardlthe-right as showniinFig. l, it will act-on` the sole` plates andnpush the unit, which includes the pressure bar, toward the centre of the log. On=the` contrary, it' the wedge bar 59 is moveda towthe lett as shown in Fig. l', the wedp'es'GOand (il will be withdrawn and thek unit, includinn the. pressure bar, willfbe. pushed back against the wedges by thepressurefiof llthe log on the kni't'e and pressure bar.. VSince this pressure is large, it is unnecessary to provide other or more positive means for moving back the unit. It will also loe-seen that by moving one of the correcting wedges (S2, any diference in adjust-ment between the ends ot' the pressure. bar can be co1 rected. Above the wedge bar 59 is located a screw 64 engaged by a nut 3 which is carried by a bracket 100 secured yto the wedge bar 59. This scr-ew is mounted in' a bearing' G6 en one of the way blocks 15 at 'the right hand endv offthe :machine and `is Ajection 728 on .the `nut.

provided `lwith a sprocket 6T over which runs a chain G8. A The chain 68 is operated byasprocket 69 connected to a hand wheel T-O.the shafli-tfotwhich 7l isniounted in bear- .ingsin `bracket Z2 which extends upward ly .-from-the way block.` It will therefore beirseenthat by rotating the handwheel 70 the screw .64 is,.rotated and the wedge bar .isnnovcd to `theri-g'ht or `left as is required.

Above the screw (54 which operates the pressure vbar adjusting. mechanism is a bracket Z3 :ongwhich is mounted a dial or quadrant 74., Atthe centre ot' this dial is pifvot onv which isy mounted a pair of Jindicator.lingers 76ron opposite sides of the dialsoas tobe visible both 'from the front and ybackfof `the Amachine.` The indicator finger is V extended below the pivot andten minatesv ina vfork 77 which engages a pro- The dial is calibr'ated- 'orthepproper positions of the pressure har for each'io' .theseveral thicknesses et `veneer .which are4 to be cut on the lathe. It wilLthere'ore beseenthat as the operator adjusts thejwedge bar by means of the handnhee-l 70 which `moves the nut 3, the indicatoi',iingers 76l will show on'both sides of the-lathethe position of the pressure bar. ln practise, the .lathe operator who stands ati4 tljie. front of thela-the adjusts the pressure barto the proper position `'for the thickness or veneer which "he is about to` cut and at thesa-n'ie time one of the helpers stands at thc rearot .themachi-ne to shift the tumbler g-ear handles `ofthe gear box to give the proper `feedltothe knit'e carriage 'for that thickness.v .of veneer. As these operations can be performed simultaneously and quickly, thezwonk .of adjusting the lathe 'for any givenahickness of veneer -is comparatively instantaneous, `two to three seconds being fsutlici'ent forza-ny change.

What- -I claim is:

.1.` Ina rotary veneer lathe, the combina- .tion-iwitfh means-.for rotating` the log, a knit'e, a carriage Yfor the knife, feed. screws to move the `cai-triage towardv the center of the log, acoinmonf. shaft for actuating the feed screws, a train of gearing connecting the meansriior rotating` tlielog with said common shaflt-,.said-` train including a' positirechan ge -speedgcaring having a plurality ol lay shafts, slidinggears thereon, handles for queuing-said sliding gears andv other gears -n'ieshingtherewith, whereby the log-rotating imeaijis may be'causedpositively to rotate the feedY screws at any of a large number of ratesof speed.

2. Inl arotary veneer lathe, the combinationm''means for rotating the log, a knife. a carri-age therefor, mechanism for moving the cafrriagetow-ardthe centre oft-he log' at a predetermined rate, said mechanism beingdriven by the logdriving mechanism, a change speed gea-r between the log-.driving mecha llo nism and the carriage moving mechanism, a pressure har on the knife carriage, means for moving the pressure bar toward the centre of the log relatively to the knife, a plurality of wedge surfaces for adjusting the pressure bar and hand-operated means acting on all of said wedged surfaces simultaneously to give the pressure bar the adjustment proper for the relative rate of feed ofthe knife carriage.

3. In'a rotary veneer lathe, the combinaion of means for rotating the log, a knife, a carriage therefor, mechanism for moving the carriage toward the centre of the log at a predetermined rate, said mechanism being driven by the log driving mechanism, a change speed gear between the log driving mechanism and the carriage moving mechaisni. a pressure bar on the knife carriage, means for moving the pressure bar toward the centre of the log relatively to the knife,

Ya plurality of wedge surfaces for adjusting the pressure bar and hand-operated means acting on all of said wedge surfaces simultaneously to give the pressure bar the adjustment proper for the relative rate of feed of the knife carriage, and an indicator operated by the wedge adjusting means to indicate the position of the pressure bar.

e. In a rotary veneer lathe, in combination with a knife and a pressure bar, sliding supports free to move toward the centre of the log and to which the pressure bar is pivoted, wedges'adapted to move the supports toward the centre of the log, said supports being moved in the opposite direction when the wedges are withdrawn by the pressure of the log on the pressure bar.

5. In a rotary veneer lathe, in combination with a knife and a pressure bar, sliding .supports free to move toward the centre of the log and to whichl the pressure bar is pivoted, wedges adapted to move the supports toward the centre of theV log, said supports being moved in the opposite direction when the wedges are withdrawn by the pressure of the log on the pressure bar, and means acting on the wedges for moving them equal amounts simultaneously.

6. In a rotary veneer lathe, the combination of means for rotating` the log, a knife, a 'arriage therefor, mechanism for moving the carriage toward the cent-re of the log at a j'n'edetermined rate, said mechanism being driven by the log driving mechanism, a

change speed gear between the log driving mechanism and the carriage moving mechanism, a pressure bar on the knife carriage, means for moving the pressure bar toward the centre of the log relatively to the knife, a plurality of wedge surfaces for adjusting the pressure bar and hand operated meansacting on all of said'wedge surfaces simultaneously to give the pressure bar the adjustnient proper for the relative rate of feedof theknife carriage, an abutment behind the wedges, and correcting wedges between the abutment and the first mentioned wedges.

'7. In a rotary veneer lathe, in combination with a knife and a pressure bar, screw actuating means for adjusting the pressure bar toward the centre of the log, a nut engaging said actuating means, a finger moved by the-said nut, and a dial cooperating with the said linger to indicate the position of the pressure bar.

8. In a rotary veneer lathe, in combination with a knife and a pressure bar, sliding supports for the pressure bar, wedges adapted to move the supports toward the centre of the log, a screw to move said wedges simultaneously, an indicatin' operated by said screw to indicate `the position of the pressure bar. Y

l). ln a rotary veneerlathe, in combination with a knife and a pressure bar, sliding supports for the pressure bar, wedges adapted to move the supports toward the centre of the log, a bar coin'ieeting said wedges, a screw, a nut on said screw, and connections between the nut and the wedge bar.

l0. In a rotary veneer lathe, in combination with a knife and a pressure bar, sliding 'y supports for the pressure bar, wedges adapted to move the supports toward the centre of the log, a bar connecting said wedges, a screw, a nut on said screw, connections between the nut and the wedge bar, an indicator, and connections between the nut and the indicator.

ll.r In a rotary veneer lathe, means for rotating the log, a knife, a screw for moving the knife toward the centre of the log, power operated mechanism driven by the log rotating means for actuating said screws to Amove the knife, selective change speed gearing between the screw operatingmeans and the log drive, a pressure loar adjustable .toward the centre of the log relative to the knife, rotary means for adjusting said pressure bar, and an indicator actuated by said rotary means to indicate the position of the pressure bar.

l2. In a rotary veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating' a log,a knife, a carriage for the knife, feed screws to move the carriage toward the center of the log7 a common shaft for actuating the feed displacement of the sliding supports tangentally of the cutting point.

14. In n rotary veneer lathe in combination with a knife and pressure bar, Way blocks, .supports free to slide in said way blocks toward the centre of the log, the pressure bar being pivoted to said sliding supports, anti-ricton devices between the Way blocks and the sliding supports and yielding abutments acting on said supports 10v to hold them on the Way blocks While per mitting movement tangentally of the Cutting point.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

THEODORE WV. DIKE. 

